Ben+Smith

Room: **Magnolia C** = = = = =**Ben Smith**=
 * **Red Lion Area School District**
 * **ben@edtechinnovators.com**
 * **Physics - 9th - 12th**
 * **www.edtechinnovators.com**
 * **www.rlasd.k12.pa.us/teachers/bsmith**
 * Skype: etiben

**Catapulting Towards the Future**  Students work in groups to design and construct a catapult with a goal to hit a target with various parameters. In this project students investigate concepts of elasticity and projectile motion. Each catapult must have a User Manual and be field tested. Each team is then assessed using engineering criteria including: collaboration, aesthetics, manufacturing ability and durability.    Project Page: @http://www.rlasd.k12.pa.us/teachers/bsmith/eng/Red_Lion/Catapult_Challenge.html Documents for the activity and pictures are at the site above.    media type="custom" key="7495361"

**Session Activity** Goal: Build a catapult that works on elastic properties that allows a user to consistently hit a target placed at various fixed distances. You will create a user manual for your catapult. We will distribute the catapult and manual to a focus group (9th graders) who will test your product. A part of your grade will be based upon the success of the focus group.   You will be given some materials (board, rubber bands, marble, and pie plate). Set up the pie plate as a target. Use the other materials to try to hit the pie plate with the marble. Work from different initial positions. In your group discuss some variables that might affect the ability to hit the pie plate. Enter your work on the form below:  media type="custom" key="7495013" <span style="display: block; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">

<span style="display: block; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">Review the list of variables that have been submitted. Enter some methods that we might use to measure these variables. Click on this link.